Segments

I think the segment was presented out of order slightly. Maybe it was to protect trade secrets or maybe it was done to make things more interesting to the average "eew, gross!" viewer, vs., say, a taxidermist.

Those dermestids didn't look familiar at all. The ones I find in pelts and on skulls are black with the typical tan band across the top 1/2 of the elytra. The ones they had were all black and a little bigger then the ones I have seen.

After seeing the segment it's nice to know that all the skull and bone work I have done, has been done correctly and thoroughly, just like the pro's.

web site

This response submitted by Skullery...Jeff on 7/12/06 at 12:55 AM. ( ) 207.118.205.207

Enjoyed the show very much. Went to their website and it said your skull will be beetle cleaned. Well, that was not the case with all skulls according to the show. Also the web site said each skull would be degreased. According to the show they said it would be degreased if needed. Also the site said the skull would be sent back without cracked teeth. That is probable true. Just wait a few months and nothing is going to stop some of those teeth from cracking. I know i sound negative but that is not the case. I just feel if someone says they are doing something and it isn't always necesarily true, it should be clarified. I think we need to be honest. Also their site said there is no shrink to the skull. I can only say i have to doubt that somewhat. Any skull no matter how it is cleaned will shrink, if only 1/32 of an inch that is shrink. Just look at deer antlers for example, why do they have a 60 day drying period for scoring. Because they will shrink, and they are bone and they are not boiled or simmered or bugged. I don't think any of my observations are serious offenses and I don't think Skulls Unlimited is purposefully trying to deceive. I think they are a wonderful asset to our professions and educational system. It shows us how one man's dream became a reality and he needs to be congradulated on that, just as i would for anyone of the rest of us that is working hard to fulfill our dream. I recently retired from being in the grocery business and am now living my dream. I am 56 and only doing skull cleaning and thoroughly enjoy it. When i started doing skulls some years back i called Skulls Unlimited several times and asked them questions about skull cleaning. I have to say they were very open and helpfull in giving me information i was seeking before i had access to a computer. I thought that was very gracious of them and again hats of to Skulls Unlimited. I am in northern wisconsin and enjoying the peace and quiet and am very thankful i can be at home everyday doing my skull cleaning. I am also thankful for a very supportive wife in my decision to do this. Thanks for listening. Jeff...Skullery

This response submitted by Jim on 7/12/06 at 11:30 AM. ( ) 216.215.198.170

Personally, I have sent skulls to them for years. They always come back awesome and way better than I could do. I have been to skulls facility several times in the past and they have a huge bettle room so they obviously don't boil many their skulls. If I remember correctly, they only boil some of the largest skulls as a way to remove some of the large chunks of meat. Perhaps they only boil the skulls they sell to schools, but beetles are obviously used to finish the job. I am betting that Dirty Jobs had them do some things that they usually don't for the sake of the cameras. I think it was an awesome segment and Skulls Unlimited should be proud.

That's how I

understood it - "boil" to remove some meat then let the beetles finish it. But I don't believe it was really boiling, I think it was really just simmering. It was an intersting piece. And I did laugh when he opened the maceration tub. LMAO

I understood it

This response submitted by Crusty on 7/12/06 at 12:39 PM. ( ) 209.165.183.15

that way too Becky. Great show. Next week they are doing one from my home town.(Shelton, Wa.) Clams, oysters, goeducks. I know a lot of the people in that trade around there. Should be another good one.

degreasing

so do you guys think that they degrease all of the skulls before whitening them? i thought that was suppose to be done or the skulls turn yellow down the road. on the tv they said they don't degrease unless necesary.

here is what Jay the owner said

Brett, Dirty jobs wanted to portray things in their own way. No skulls other than larger skulls such as bison,cow, horse etc.are ever boiled.Even then, the "boiling" more accurately simmering is used as a means of flensing ,after which they go into the bugs to finish the job. All small skulls should only be cleaned with the beetles.Everything should be degreased completely not to stop yellowing but rather to completely sanitize the bone. So much was left out of the show, due to time I guess,and a few things were not accurately told. But over all Dirty Jobs did a good job. It's a shame the Dirtiest jobs in our company got left out,I guess it's was to much even for them.Jay Villemarette